The present invention relates generally to a method for improving blood flow in the body of a patient and more particularly concerns an endoscopic bypass grafting method which utilizes an inguinal approach.
Treatment of vascular disease in which the lumen of a blood vessel is significantly narrowed or occluded by atherosclerosis includes surgical and endovascular methods. Conventional surgical methods include obtaining access to a blood vessel via one or more surgical incisions and either removing the blockage by performing an endarterectomy or bypassing the blockage by placing a bypass graft which has a generally cylindrical shape. Endovascular methods include obtaining access to a blood vessel with a catheter and improving blood flow therein by performing an athrectomy, atherolysis, or balloon and laser angioplasty with or without endovascular stent placement. In general, the preferred treatment of severe stenosis or occlusion of a long vessel segment has been surgical bypass grafting.
Although conventional surgical bypass grafting is an accepted procedure, it presents substantial morbidity and mortality risks. Also, not all patients are acceptable candidates for the above surgical procedure due to advanced age and preexisting medical conditions. Moreover, conventional surgical bypass grafting is an invasive procedure which may require extended hospitalization due to postoperative recovery. In addition, the above surgical procedure may involve substantial financial costs to patients, hospitals and society in general. Further, incisions made during the above surgical procedure may cause significant cosmetically unattractive scarring which is undesirable to many patients.
What is needed therefore is method for implanting an end portion of a graft within the body of a patient which overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.
One embodiment of the present invention involves a method for implanting an end portion of a graft within the body of a patient during a bypass grafting procedure is disclosed. The body has a circulatory system which includes a femoral artery and an aorta. The method includes the steps of (i) making an incision in the body of the patient so as to expose the femoral artery and an inguinal ligament, (ii) advancing an endoscope between the femoral artery and the inguinal ligament until a distal end of the endoscope is positioned at a working site within the body, (iii) advancing the end portion of the graft between the femoral artery and the inguinal ligament to the working site, wherein said end portion advancing step includes the step of advancing the end portion of the graft through the endoscope, and (iv) forming an anastomosis between the end portion of the graft and the aorta at the working site.
One object of the present invention is to an improved method for implanting an end portion of a graft within the body of a patient.
Other objects and benefits of the present invention can be discerned from the following description and accompanying drawings.